white rumps

A few weeks ago I took the opportunity to visit Minsmere, where a White-rumped Sandpiper had been found among the flock of Dunlin. They're perhaps the commonest of the American calidrids that find their way across the Atlantic, and over the years I've seen a few around the British Isles. They may not have the bright patterns of Dunlin and Curlew Sandpipers, or the subtle beauty of the Little Stint, but their attenuated elegance and energy make them very watchable, and like all American waders, they're often very approachable. 

Adult Summer plumage - Minsmere Summer

1st Winter plumage - Ballycotton late autumn

   Juvenile plumage - Grafham Water Autumn